Brazil Fight Gains Coca-Cola Sponsorship

In Brazil, we used to say that all MMA promoters are totally crazy.
Profit is a word that almost never seems to cross the minds of
Brazilian promoters. As a result, only fight gear and gi brands
lend their names and money to sponsor MMA events. Apart from
Wallid
Ismail’s Jungle Fight -- which can capitalize on its brand to
get the support of local politicians in the cities it visits --
most Brazilian events lose money or, at best, cover their
expenses.

But, perhaps because of the sport’s growth in North America, this
is starting to change. Brazil’s mainstream media is finally
starting to care about MMA. For example, the other day, I saw
Anderson
Silva on three different network TV programs in Brazil on the
same day. In the past, that’s something only Vitor
Belfort could’ve achieved, due to his excellent image and
persona in the Brazilian media. With this new level of attention,
legitimate sponsors are more interested in the sport.

A landmark moment in this process of change will happen this
Saturday night, when Otavio “Tata” Duarte promotes
the third edition of Brazil Fight in Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais, with the sponsorship of Coca-Cola’s Gladiator energy
drink.

“I truly believe it was a huge win for MMA. I had eight meetings
with Coca-Cola to convince them, but finally I got it,” says
Duarte. “I hope this is the first of many big companies to believe
in MMA in Brazil.”

Released in 2008, Gladiator was initially geared toward the Mexican
market, where it was popularized due to its connection to
pro-wrestling, being advertised by lucha libre stars Mistico and
Perro Aguayo, Jr.

“Gladiator is directed to the everyday ‘gladiators,’ the ones who
work hard daily and need an extra dose of energy to face the daily
routine of work and study. We believe this concept of strength and
persistence [in MMA] related to the product,” says Gustavo Jardim,
marketing manager of Coca-Cola in the state of Minas Gerais.

Brazil Fight 3 takes place at Chevrolet Hall on Saturday night, and
features a five-fight series pitting fighters from Sao Paulo
against local fighters from Minas Gerais, including lightweight
prospect Thiago
Michel Pereira, who has been called “The Anderson Silva of Belo
Horizonte.”